Blake's Pursuit (Scanguards Vampires, #11)(78)

Wes approached him. “What do you mean?”

“But you can’t scry for vampires, it doesn’t work,” Blake interrupted. “You weren’t at Ronny’s interrogation. He already told us about the other vampires’ blood.”

Wes lifted his hand. “Let me hear him out. How is it done?”

“Well, I give them the raw drug, but if we don’t individualize it, it won’t work over long distances. We might as well use mind control. So if the vampire wants to control the human over long distances and make sure nobody else can control him, he has to mix some of his own blood with the drug. Like a bond, so to speak. So the human will respond to his master, and only to him.” Ronny looked at Wes, as if to verify that he understood.

“I get it.” Wes paused and started pacing. “Hmm. Like a homing pigeon. Clever.” A spark appeared in his eyes. “I think I have an idea.”

Blake’s heart beat excitedly. “What kind of idea? Please tell me you know how to find them.”

Wes nodded. “I might. But I’ll need Ronny’s help in the lab. Where’s your recipe book? I didn’t find it in the cabin.”

“Recipe book?”

“The formula for the drug.”

Ronny tipped his finger to his temple. “That’s the only place it’s safe from Norwood. That’s why I’m still alive.

Wes nodded. “Good. Blake, keep that drugged human we picked up tonight ready for me. I think there might be a way of using the bond to his master as a way to turn him into a homing device. If I can isolate the vampire’s blood from the drug and alter the composition a little, I think I can do it.”

Blake’s chest swelled with hope. “Wes, if you can do this and find them, you know I’ll owe you big.”

“And this time I might just cash in on all the favors you owe me.”

Blake met Wesley’s look and nodded. To get Lilo back, he’d do whatever was necessary.





40


Lilo felt groggy, her limbs were stiff, and her head ached. She was coming out of a daze, somebody shaking her with both hands on her shoulders. With difficulty she managed to open her eyes. At first, she had trouble focusing.

“Lilo! Oh God, Lilo!”

The voice brought her back to reality. In an instant she remembered everything. Her eyes flew open.

It was Hannah shaking her awake. Lilo shot up on the uncomfortable cot.

“Hannah?”

“What did they do to you? How did they get you? What are you even doing in San Francisco?” The questions were fairly spewing from Hannah’s mouth. She looked distressed, close to tears. At the same time she looked different from earlier. More lively. More animated. Real.

“You don’t know, do you?” Lilo asked, grabbing Hannah’s hands and squeezing them.

“Know what?”

“Hannah, you called me at Scanguards and told me to come down because Blake was hurt. You said he was dying, and you needed my help.”

She shook her head. “Lilo, I’ve been in here, locked up for I don’t know how many days.”

“Honey, they drugged you. The men who took you, they made you set a trap for me, and I marched right into it.”

Tears rose to Hannah’s eyes. “Oh, no, Lilo! I’m so sorry!”

Lilo threw her arms around her friend and pulled her into an embrace. “No, I’m sorry. If I’d been there for you when you needed me, this might not have happened.”

Hannah sobbed. Lilo took her by the shoulders and eased her back to look at her. “Don’t cry. Please. I’m here now.”

“You shouldn’t have come to San Francisco. Now we’re both in trouble. And it’s my fault. I should have listened to Ronny and left with him.”

“Ronny told us everything.”

“You saw Ronny?” Her eyes widened. “How?”

“Blake and his men captured him.”

Hannah slammed her hand over her mouth. “Oh my God!” Then Hannah cast her a cautious look. “How much do you know?”

Lilo sighed. “Everything. Or almost everything. I know about Scanguards, I know about the vampires, the drug Ronny is producing for Norwood, the danger we’re all in.”

Hannah shook her head. “I’m so sorry I dragged you into this. I never wanted you to have to deal with this.”

“We can’t change that now. I don’t blame you, you know that, honey, don’t you?”

“Oh Lilo, I don’t deserve you.”

Lilo ran her hand over Hannah’s auburn hair. “Blake will come for us.”

Hannah forced a smile. “He’s a good man.” She sniffled. “How did you even find out about Norwood and about Scanguards?”

“I went to your apartment, and Norwood broke in.”

“Oh my God! Did he hurt you?”

She shook her head. “Blake showed up just in time. He saved me, and Norwood ran. But he was looking for something. I suppose it was the USB stick you hid.”

Hannah sighed in relief. “You found it! I was hoping somebody would. I was afraid that Norwood would kill me, so I told him that I had evidence that showed what he was doing. I told him I had the formula for the drug. I knew he wanted it so he wouldn’t need Ronny anymore. And that if he killed me, the authorities would find it.”